Structure for an inflatable article of inelastic sheet material



Apnl 3, 1956 M. F. WELLS 2,740,565

STRUCTURE FOR AN INFLATABLE ARTICLE OF INELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL FiledAug. 24, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l w 7/6757 W/Mw aij Apnl 3, 1956 M. F.WELLS 2,740,565

' STRUCTURE FOR AN INFLATABLE ARTICLE OF INELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL FiledAug. 24, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j/lwezew wa /way;

April 3, 1956 M. F. WELLS STRUCTURE FOR AN INFLATABLE ARTICLE OFINELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 24, 1953 STRUCTUREFOR AN INFLATABLE ARTICLE OF INELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Millard F. Wells,Bellwood, lll., assignor to W. 1:.

Stensgaard and Associates, Inc, a corporation of iii:- nois ApplicationAugust 24, 1953, Serial No. 376,147-

14 Claims. (Cl. 223-67) for and im- This invention relates to animproved structure inflatable plastic articles of inelastic sheetmaterial, in the specific embodiment shown it relates to an provedinflatable mannequin.

Large quantities of inflatable articles are currently being producedfrom substantially inelastic sheet material such as certain of theplastic films. Such articles are manufactured by die cutting from sheetmaterial a plurality of pieces which form various parts of the finisheddevice, and heat sealing the margins of the pieces together in a sealingdie. There is no great problem in obtaining the desired shape of anarticle where the margins of various pieces are sealed together; but itis diflicult to obtain the desired shape intermediate the marginalsealing line. Likewise, problems of die shape and die cost limit theshapes which may be satisfactorily produced by conventional means.

Insofar as applicant is aware it has heretofore been impossible toproduce irregular shaped articles, such as inflatable human and animalfigures, which reproduce with any accuracy the actual shape. Thus, forexample, an inflatable plastic mannequin could be provided with correctshape only in the plane of the peripheral seal, and the intermediateportions would bulge toward a tubular shape.

In accordance with the present invention, an inflatable plasticmannequin which faithfully reproduces the normal contours of a humantorso may be produced by forming it from two body members, one of whichforms the left hand half of the torso and the other of which forms theright hand half. Each body member has a portion forming one-half of theback, a central portion which serves as a web, or membrane which, whenthe mannequin is inflated lies in the median plane of the article, and aportion which forms one-half of the front of the torso.

The two halves may first be sealed together intermediate their endsalong a line which accurately defines the out: line of the torso alongits median plane, the sealing together of the two body members servingto limit their expansion along the median plane when inflated. Anair-tight marginal seal is then made which joins the edge atent 2,7405%Patented Apr. 3, 1956 The invention is illustrated in a preferredembodiment of a mannequin in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mannequin constructed in accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a mannequin after the intermediate sealingoperation to form the median membrane, but before the peripheralairtight seal is made;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an uninflated mannequin;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken as indicated along thelinc4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken as indicated along the line5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicatedalong the line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the attachmentof the bust piece to the front portion of a body member;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a partially sealedbust piece with one of the members forming the bust piece turned back toshow the con- I struction more clearly;

Fig. 9 is an internal plan view of a bust piece;

Fig. 10 is a section taken as indicated along the line 10-40 of Fig. 1;3

Fig. 11 is a section taken as indicatedalong the line 11-11 of Fig. 1 onthe median plane of the mannequin; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the seal where thebody members come together.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Fig.l, the inflated mannequin is formed in simulation of an armless femaletorso, and has a main torso portion, indicated generally at 15, shoulderportions 16, a neck portion 17 and leg portions 18. On the front of thetorso are bust pieces 19. Preferably the neck and shoulder area and theleg area are decorated with rufiies 20 and 21 of marquisette or the likewhich are secured to continuously extending narrow rims, or flaps, 20aand 21a, respectively; and as seen in Fig. 3 on the flaps 20a and 21abehind the rufiies are integral hanging rings 23 by means of which themannequin may be suspended for display purposes. A flexible tube 22 forinflating the mannequin is secured to the device in the conventionalfashion.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the mannequin is formedfrom a pair of identical body members 24 each of which is die cut from asheet of substantially of the back portion of each member to the edge ofthe front portion thereof. The median membrane is discontinuous, orperforate, so that the entire article may be inflated as a unit.

The same structural principle may be applied to numerous other shapes.In certain articles the irregularity of the shape makes it difiicult toreproduce satisfactorily, and the use of a median membrane permits theshape of the articles to be accurately controlled intermediate itssealed periphery. In other types of articles, such for example as beachballs, the problem is principally one of producing suitable dies forsealing together the several body members into an article which will bespherical when inflated.

The ornamental design shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings herein is claimedin Design Patent 169,464, issued April 28, 1953.

inelastic, limp plastic material and includes a front panel portion 25,a back panel portion 26, and a central median membrane portion 27, thelatter portion being cut away at its upper end to form a U-shaped recess28. The front portions 25 of the body members 24 are also provided withsmall apertures 2% through which air may pass from within the torso 15to inflate the bust portions 19. The lateral margins of the bodyportions 24 are cut to define the outline of the mannequin in alongitudinal plane which extends transversely of the torso. 1

The first step in assembling a mannequin is to lay the two body members24 in registering, superposed relationship as seen in Fig. 2, and placethem in a sealing die which seals them together to form a line ofsealing 30 which has neck portions 31 along the side margins of theU-shaped recess 28, a back portion 32, a crotch portion 33 and a frontportion 34. The line of sealing 30 defines the outline of the mannequinalong its median plane.

Following the sealing of the two body members 24 along the line Si),they are rearranged so that the edge 35 of each front portion 25 is inregister with the edge 36 of each back portion 26 and said edges 35 and36 are sealed together (compare Figs. 4- and 5) to form an airtight lineof sealing 37 which extends continuously from 3 the inner point 38 ofone leg portion 18 transversely around the margin of the mannequin totheinner point 38 of the other leg portion (see Fig. 3).

The construction or the bust pieces 19 is shown in detail in Figs. 69inclusive, and consistsof an upper bust element 39 and a lower bustelement 40 which are fastened together by a line of sealing 41 so thatthey are cup shaped, and have a continuous peripheral flange 42 thecrotch portion 33 of the seal 36 to the inner end 38 of each leg portionwhere the continuous seal 37 termi' nat'es. The median membrane 27 isperpendicular to the plane of the continuous line of sealing 37, andconfines the inflation of the body members along the median plane of themannequin so as to give it the desired shape along that plane. TheU-shaped recess 28 at the upper end of the median membrane 27 forms anopening 28a s0. that the membrane is discontinuous and air may fill theentire mannequin without obstruction from the median-membrane. Theapertures 29 permit air to pass into the bust pieces 19.

Itis apparent from the foregoing description that the construction ofthe mannequin with a median membrane 27bounded' by a line of sealing 39which defines" the outline of the mannequin along its median planepermits the'mannequin to have the desired shape, without bulging alongthe median plane. It is also apparent that the basic structuralprinciple could be equally well applied to any other regular orirregular three dimensional curved shape.

The term limp as used herein is intended to include any material whichis sufliciently pliable that it can hold any desired shape only undertension.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to' be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. An inflatable mannequin comprising: a pair of body members ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material, each of said body membersforming both the front and back of one-half of the outer skin of themannequin and having a central portion affording a perforate medianmembrane; a line of connection joining said central 'portions to definethe outline of the mannequin along its median plane and substantiallyseparate the two halves thereof; and a peripheral airtight seal joiningthe margins of the front and back portions of each body member and anycommon marginal portions of said body members to form a closed bodywhich may be inflated to simulate a portion of a human body.

2. The inflatable mannequin of claim 1 in which each body member isprovided with an aperture, and a projecting bust piece has its peripherysaeled to the body member surrounding the aperture.

members of substantially inelastic, limp sheet material,

'the' margin of each of saidbody members being out along a line whichdefines the inflated shape of the mannequin in a transverse planeextending longitudinally of the mannequin, each of said body membersforming both the front and back of one-half of the outer skin of themannequin and having a central portion affording a perforate medianmembrane; a line 'of connection joining said central portions to definethe outline of the mannequin along its median plane and substantiallyseparate the two halves thereof; and a peripheral airtight seal joiningthe margins of the front and back portionsaof each body member and anycommon marginal portions of said body members to forma'closed'bodywhich' may be inflated to simulate a human torso.

7. An inflatable mannequin comprising: a pair of body members ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material, each of said body membersforming both the back-rand front ofone-half of the outer skin of themannequin and being shaped to provide a stub neck portion, a shoulderportion, a torso portion and a stub leg portion, and each of said bodymembers having a central portion affording a median membrane whichterminates below the stub neck portion or said body member; a line ofsealing joining said central portions and joining the adjacent edges ofsaid body members from the upper" ends of :said central portions to thetops of the stub neck portions to define the outline of the mannequinflap which is integral with the body portions extends beyond said sealaround the lower end of each stub leg portion to-receive decorativerufiles. V

v 9r The inflatablemannequin of claim 8 in which the flaps are providedwith a plurality of integral tabs by means'of which the mannequin may besuspended for display purposes. 7

10. An inflatable article comprising: a plurality of body members ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material, each of said body membershaving two outer skin sections forming two different portions of theouter skin of the article and having an integral, internal membraneportion-extending across the body in facing juxtaposition to-a similarmembrane portion of an adjoining body member; a line of connection alongthe juncture of each internal membrane portion and the outer skinsections of 3. The inflatable mannequin of claim 2 in which the bustpiece is composed of two transversely joined segments.

4. The inflatable mannequin of claim 2 in which the aperture is ofsubstantially smaller diameter than the bust piece and the bust piece issealed to the outer surface of the body member. 7

5. The inflatable mannequin of claim 1 in which the body members includea stub neck portion and stub leg portions, and the median membraneterminates short of said neck portion.

6. An inflatable mannequin comprising: a pair of body said bodymemberwhich joins a pair of facing juxtaposed membrane portions, saidline of connection defining the shapeof the article in the plane of saidmembraneportions; and an airtight seal extending around themargins ofsaid body members to form a closed body.

11. An inflatable mannequin comprising: a plurality of. body members ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material, each of said body membersforming a per tion of the outer skin of the mannequin and being shapedto provide a torso portion anda pair of stub leg portions meeting in anupwardly closed crotch portion; an airtight seal extending around themargins of said body members to form a closed body; perforate internalmedian membrane means extending from front to rear of said closed bodyabove the crotch; and a line of connection along the juncture of saidmembrane means and'said outer skin to define the shape of the closedbody along its median plane.

' e .12. The device of claim 11 in which-each body member forms both thefront and back of one halfof the outer skin of the mannequin, and has acentral portion forming part of the median membrane means.

13. An inflatable display device, comprising: a sealed body ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material provided with a pair ofapertures; and a pair of projecting bust pieces of said inelastic, limpsheet material sealed to said body, one surrounding each of saidapertures, each of said bust pieces being composed of two segmentshaving abutting marginal portions which define the outline of the bustpiece along a median plane generally perpendicular to the body and saidsegments being sealed together along said abutting marginal portions.

14. An inflatable display device, comprising: a sealed body ofsubstantially inelastic, limp sheet material provided with a pair ofapertures; and a pair of projecting bust pieces of said inelastic, limpsheet material sealed to said body, one surrounding each of saidapertures, each of said bust pieces being composed of two segmentshaving abutting transversely extending marginal portions which definethe outline of the bust piece along its transverse median planegenerally perpendicular to the body and said segments being sealedtogether along said abutting marginal portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,951,193 Heighway Mar. 13, 1934 2,529,125 Barbera Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS 958,776 France Mar. 16, 1950 985,134 France July 16, 1951

